Walk With the Doc Saturday March 25th, 8:00 am The Esselstyn Heart Healthy Diet Perhaps you have encountered Dr. Esselstyn’s diet in a magazine article or by way of his CNN interview by Wolf Blitzer about former President Bill Clinton’s change to a plant based diet. What made Clinton’s diet change interesting was his highly visible attraction to fast food. Throughout both terms as president he was known for a fondness toward hamburgers, steaks, chicken enchiladas, barbecue and french fries. At a campaign stop in New Hampshire, he is said to have bought a dozen doughnuts and was working his way through the box until an aide stopped him. Clinton’s story is not uncommon. His diet caught up with him and in 2004. Fortunately, a quadruple bypass saved his life. In 2010 his bypass failed and two stents were added. He realized that while surgery saved his life it was only a temporary fix. His search for a cure led him to Dr. Esselstyn, the author of "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" and Dr. Campbell, the author of "The China Study." By following Esselstyn's plant based diet, Clinton took off 24 pounds (back to his high school weight) and reported feeling much better. What motivated Clinton was hope he could gain the benefits Dr. Esselstyn had observed. According to Dr. Esselstyn, 82% of those following the diet succeeded in arresting or reversing their cardiovascular disease. While an abundance of research points to the possibility of stopping and even reversing coronary disease with diet and exercise, even Dr. Esselstyn agrees that some can’t be helped with his diet and some will still need medications. Is a vegetarian diet right for you? For most it would be a radical departure from long held beliefs and habits. If the idea intrigues you, begin with a book from the reading list below. Keep in mind that while a vegetarian diet may have advantages there are non vegetarian diets that also show good results. While not a vegetarian myself, I still like Dr. Dean Ornish’s perspective, “I don't understand why eating a well balanced vegetarian diet is considered drastic while it is medically conservative to cut people open.” There is more to choosing a diet that’s right for you. The resource list that follows is a good place to learn more. Of course, diet is only part of the healthy lifestyle story. With days looking more like Springtime, a walk in the park would make a sensible compliment. Why not join me? Nancy Neighbors, MD Esselstyn’s Diet Recommends 1. Vegetables - Just about all vegetables are permitted on this plan with the exception of avocados if they raise blood lipids to unhealthy levels. 2. Legumes - Beans, peas, and lentils of all kinds. 3. Whole Grains - Just about any grain as long as it is "whole" grain. "Whole" means that it has not been polished or processed to eliminate much of the nutritional value. 4. Fruit of all kinds are permitted. Avoid consuming pure fruit juices since you usually get excessive amounts of sugar. 5. Beverages - The heart healthy diet allows the following beverages. Water, seltzer water, oat milk, no- fat soy milk, coffee, and tea. Alcohol is okay in moderation. Esselstyn’s Diet Excludes 1. Anything with a face or a mother. This includes meat, poultry, fish and eggs. 2. Dairy products that include butter, cheese, cream, ice cream, yogurt, milk and skimmed milk. 3. Oils: All oils including olive oil and canola oil. 4. Refined grains: White rice, "enriched" flour products that are found in pastas, breads, bagels and baked goods. 5. Nuts: Individuals with heart disease should avoid nuts. Those without the disease can consume some walnuts which provide considerable omega-3 fatty acids. Is Esselstyn’s diet right for you? I recommend a balanced perspective that includes Dr. Evan’s advice. Let’s talk about whether it’s right for you. Books The following books about Dr. Esselstyn’s diet are available at the local public library. “Fork over Knives - The Plant-Based Way To Health”, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and Cauldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. MD “My Beef with Meat” - The Healthiest Argument for Eating a Plant-Strong Diet”, Rip Esselstyn “The Engine 2 Diet”, Rip Esselstyn Web Videos Dr. Esselstyn Speaks at TedX (15-minute) Bill Clinton credits Dr. Esselstyn for his health (9- minute) Presentation from Dr. Esselstyn (2-hour) Dr. Esselstyn’s demonstration of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) being halted and in some cases reversed is amazing. A criticism of his research is the lack of a control group. Most likely, his patients were highly motivated to work for the best results. The findings from Dr. Esselstyn’s research, were originally published in the Journal of Family Practice, “A way to reverse CAD?”. Influenza Activity Continues Are You Protected? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive an influenza vaccine every year. People 65 years and older are at a greater risk of serious complications from seasonal influenza. It is not too late to get vaccinated – to protect you, your family and friends. Need Another Fun Walk? Looking for another opportunity to walk? On Saturday, March 25 from 9-11am the Madison County Medical Society will have their first Spring into Action Walk at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. The walk will start at the pavilion. Bring the entire family! If you have questions about this walk, please email madisoncountymedicalalliance@gmail.com. Let’s take a walk Date: Saturday, March 25th Location: Jones Family Park (see map) Time: 8:00 am (Meet in front of Yogurt Mountain) Yogurt Mt. is the last store at the end of Valley Bend Shopping Center). If cloudy, bring an umbrella, we walk come rain or shine. Click here for Dr. Neighbors’ 2017 news page |
